How Do You Make a 3-D Plant Cell Model?

To make a 3-D plant cell model, create cytoplasm with Jell-O, then divide it in upper and lower halves. Put sweets, representing various organelles of a plant cell, into holes in the lower half of the Jell-O. Put the top half of cytoplasm back on the model.

A 3-D model should reflect the fundamental structure of the plant cell. A plant cell is characterized by a rigid outer wall with cytoplasm inside, which contains specialized organelles. These include chloroplasts, one large vacuole and plasmodesmata. The plant cell also contains other organelles in common with an animal cell.

Make the cytoplasm

Make up Jell-O mixture, using instructions on the box. Add extra gelatin to it to keep the mixture strong. Pour this into clear plastic cups. Put the cups in the refrigerator.

Collect materials and tools

Prepare a plate, plastic knife and a spoon. Choose food items that resemble the organelles of a plant cell in shape and relative size. The cell wall can be represented by green fruit roll up rolled around the Jell-O cytoplasm. The nucleus can be a pink gumball, whereas a larger white gumball or a marshmallow can be the vacuole. Other possible foodstuffs for building a plant cell model are: green pieces of fruit roll up for golgi bodies, round cake sprinkles for ribosomes, yellow pieces of fruit roll up for endoplasmic reticulum and hot tamale candies for mitochondria.

Assemble the cell

Transfer the Jell-O out of a cup onto the plate. Cut it in half horizontally. Place the top half aside. With a spoon, dig little holes in the bottom half of the Jell-O for organelles and put them there, according to the structure of the plant cell. Cover with the top half of the Jell-O cytoplasm.